ACF laments Akande’s allegation of north’s conspiracy against Yoruba

Leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) were yesterday cautioned against using ethnic and tribal sentiments over the leadership crisis in the National Assembly to derail the party and administrations of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) gave the advice in its reaction to statements credited to APC chieftain, Chief Bisi Akande, which made the northern leaders to accuse the South West of conspiracy against the North, with the ultimate aim of derailing Buhari’s government.

Akande, former Chairman of the defunct ACN and one of the leaders of the ruling APC, was alleged to have said that most Northern elites, the Nigerian oil subsidy barons and other business cartels who never liked President Buhari’s anti-corruption stance are quickly backing-up the rebellion against the APC with strong support.” Akande was also alleged to have said that “while other position seekers are waiting in the wings until Buhari’s ministers are announced, a large section of the South-West sees the rebellion as a conspiracy of the North against the Yoruba.”

The National Publicity Secretary of ACF, Alhaji Muhammadu Ibrahim, yesterday described the statements as disappointing, reckless and unbecoming of an elder statesman of Akande’s status.

In a statement, Ibrahim said “the crisis rocking the ruling APC over the election of the National Assembly’s presiding officers and the composition of principal officers is of concern not only to the ruling party but all Nigerians.

“It is sad that an elder statesman in the person of Chief Akande who worked tirelessly with other Nigerians to form APC which subsequently won the 2015 elections at the federal level and many states, can now say that the crisis in the National Assembly is a conspiracy of the North against the Yoruba, this is most disturbing.”
The ACF spokesman wondered why the North, which he claims comprises of more than 230 out of 250 tribes in the country, would single out only one of the tribes, the Yoruba, to conspire against it.

“ACF considers such statement as uncharitable and a deviation from the main agenda of Change which Nigerians voted for. The era of tribal and religious politics or inciting one tribe against the other has no place in our present
political focus.

“ACF therefore appeals to our elders and all Nigerians to show decorum and civility in their utterances, as all hands should now be on deck to move the nation forward. President Muhammadu Buhari needs the support and understanding of all Nigerians, especially his party
men and women, to clean the mess he inherited. Nigerians expect so much from Buhari’s administration. Please help and allow him to perform,” the group said.

According to ACF, “The crisis in the National Assembly should be addressed through the party’s internal mechanism of resolving conflicts and not through reckless and unguarded statements by elders that are supposed to be reservoirs of wisdom.”